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May 17, 2013
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that ambassador rice was speaking based on talking points, provided by the cia. and that the fundamental error in those talking points was corrected by us when we became -- when it became clear that new information shed new light on what happened, and this was not a case as republicans charged again and again, that ambassador rice had, at the direction of the white house or anyone else, said what she said about our understanding that there had been protests. that was the intelligence that she was provided. >> jay, quickly, before you go, on the ap story where the justice department has been investigating, the associated press, i have the feeling if you were back in our old job at "time" magazine, you may be one of the complaining chorus in the white house press corps about that being overbroad, reaching for too much, and that this is exactly what the press has to fear in this kind of situation with the government. >> well, i addressed this, lawrence, as you know. i was asked about this from the podium. and i can tell you two things. as a citizen, i believe it's i
that ambassador rice was speaking based on talking points, provided by the cia. and that the fundamental error in those talking points was corrected by us when we became -- when it became clear that new information shed new light on what happened, and this was not a case as republicans charged again and again, that ambassador rice had, at the direction of the white house or anyone else, said what she said about our understanding that there had been protests. that was the intelligence that she...
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May 12, 2013
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that's manipulating the cia to get the truth. >> the cia can't stand up for itself and get the facts, saying, these are the facts? >> the fact is, there was a fact witness, his name was ambassador stevens. he said greg, we're under attack to his number two. that was the definitive statement from the ambassador on the ground before he was murdered. you have a fact witness. and you follow that up with fact witness after fact witness. so to blame the cia is a convenient truth. the real truth is, the people who were there in tripoli and in benghazi knew this was a terrorist attack from the get-go. that's been said under oath. and that's the reason that we need to know more about how nin ning -- things got changed. >> chairman, my reporting of the immediate aftermath of this talking to administration officials is that ci a director david petraeus made it clear when he briefed top officials that there was a spontaneous element to this, that it was not completely known that this was a terrorist attack right away. you don't give any credence to the notion that there was some fog of war, that
that's manipulating the cia to get the truth. >> the cia can't stand up for itself and get the facts, saying, these are the facts? >> the fact is, there was a fact witness, his name was ambassador stevens. he said greg, we're under attack to his number two. that was the definitive statement from the ambassador on the ground before he was murdered. you have a fact witness. and you follow that up with fact witness after fact witness. so to blame the cia is a convenient truth. the real...
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May 13, 2013
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so the cia was super aggressive. all the talking points were reduced to mush and politics was inserted into it. i don't think we should necessarily say this is politics intruding on a cia pure operation. >> congressman, don't you see the muddle in all of in that it's not so clearly watergate as some republicans allege? >> look, i'm not out to try to bring anybody down. i just want the answers. i look at a couple of things. number one, who i think chaed the talking points? these are questions that go to motivation. i know that ambassador rice went on every morning show and said this was a result of a youtube video. this was not a terrorist attack. it was frankly told to us in a closed door meeting in congress by hillary clinton, too. as a pilot in the military, i went to survival training and the first thing they tell you, your country, just know your country will be move heaven and earth to come get you and it appears in this case the country didn't move haven nor earth to can get them. the administration said we had
so the cia was super aggressive. all the talking points were reduced to mush and politics was inserted into it. i don't think we should necessarily say this is politics intruding on a cia pure operation. >> congressman, don't you see the muddle in all of in that it's not so clearly watergate as some republicans allege? >> look, i'm not out to try to bring anybody down. i just want the answers. i look at a couple of things. number one, who i think chaed the talking points? these are...
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May 15, 2013
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allegedly trying to recruit a russian for the cia. in a scene right out of the cold war, 29-year-old ryan fogle, a low-level diplomat, allegedly caught with a spy's tool kit, wigs, sunglasses, maps, money. even a letter offering his russian contact up to $1 million a year. quote, to discuss your experience, expertise and cooperation. and instructions for opening a gmail account and address to write. the cia and state department weren't talking. the russians released fogle to the u.s. embassy. he'll probably be sent home. on twitter, the u.s. ambassador michael mcfall had no comment. >> a global terrorist network. >> reporter: at washington's popular spy museum, a former cia spy says it happens all the time. >> even the disguise material, which people have sort of charteled about, i've used disguise. so even though it may look sort of corny or sixth grade to people, it it can work. >> reporter: the russians call the incident provocative. but u.s. officials don't think it will set back efforts to improve relationed blamed by many for th
allegedly trying to recruit a russian for the cia. in a scene right out of the cold war, 29-year-old ryan fogle, a low-level diplomat, allegedly caught with a spy's tool kit, wigs, sunglasses, maps, money. even a letter offering his russian contact up to $1 million a year. quote, to discuss your experience, expertise and cooperation. and instructions for opening a gmail account and address to write. the cia and state department weren't talking. the russians released fogle to the u.s. embassy....
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May 13, 2013
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this new push stems from revelations that the cia's original talking points used by ambassador susan rice in the days after the attack had undergone significant edits by senior administration officials. >> for the president's spokesman to say well there were only words or technical changes made in the e-mail is a flat-out untruth when we know any reference to act of terror or al qaeda were removed from those talking points and it was done at a deputy's meeting just before susan rice went -- >> would you call this a cover-up? >> i'd call it a cover-up. i would call it a cover-up in the extent that there was wi willful removal of information which was obvious. >> he said untruths by the way. he did not use the word lie. >>> former defense secretary robert gates defending the administration's handling of the attacks in libya. >> based on everything i've read people really didn't know what was going on in benghazi contemporaneously, and to send some small number of special forces or other troops in without knowing what the environment was or threat was without having any intelligence in
this new push stems from revelations that the cia's original talking points used by ambassador susan rice in the days after the attack had undergone significant edits by senior administration officials. >> for the president's spokesman to say well there were only words or technical changes made in the e-mail is a flat-out untruth when we know any reference to act of terror or al qaeda were removed from those talking points and it was done at a deputy's meeting just before susan rice went...
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May 16, 2013
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in fact, there's almost an antismoking gun, which is the e-mail from the general counsel of the cia, who at one point explicitly writes, i know there's a hurry to get this, but we need to hold it long enough to ascertain whether providing it, this is the original talking points which did have information about al qaeda, which did talk about libya being a wash in weapons and that this being likely an attack by militant extremists, but whether providing it conflicts with the expressed instructions from national security staff, d.o.j., fbi, that in light of the criminal investigation, we are not to generate statements with assessments as to who did this. that sort of sets the ball in motion in terms of scrubbing out all relevant details about who was behind the attack from the talking points. then you put on top of that, that very revealing sort of bureaucratic knife fight between the state department and the cia in which state department officials are taking umbrage at the idea that there were cia warnings about the threat of a terrorist attack. clearly, the cia was trying to push that
in fact, there's almost an antismoking gun, which is the e-mail from the general counsel of the cia, who at one point explicitly writes, i know there's a hurry to get this, but we need to hold it long enough to ascertain whether providing it, this is the original talking points which did have information about al qaeda, which did talk about libya being a wash in weapons and that this being likely an attack by militant extremists, but whether providing it conflicts with the expressed...
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May 14, 2013
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that the cia had infiltrated an al qaeda plot to blow up an airliner. the bomb was a more advanced version the so-called underwear bomber attempted to use on christmas day in 2009. here was nbc news reporting at the time. >> this is a remarkable success for the intelligence agencies of the united states and its allies. and here's why. they managed to insert a critical informant into the very heart of the terror group that's considered the number one threat to the united states. al qaeda's offshoot in yemen. >> reporter: administration and intelligence officials say by the time this most recent plot was in its final planning stages, the u.s. and its allies were able to follow it in detail. what the terrorists in yemen did not know at the time these officials say is that the person they chose to be the suicide bomber was actually an informant, someone who had agreed to cooperate with an ally intelligence service. members of congress declined to be specific but praised the cia and the overseas counterparts. >> this was incredibly good intelligence work. th
that the cia had infiltrated an al qaeda plot to blow up an airliner. the bomb was a more advanced version the so-called underwear bomber attempted to use on christmas day in 2009. here was nbc news reporting at the time. >> this is a remarkable success for the intelligence agencies of the united states and its allies. and here's why. they managed to insert a critical informant into the very heart of the terror group that's considered the number one threat to the united states. al qaeda's...
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May 14, 2013
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timing suggests the covert investigation was to determine who leaked details about a cia operation in yemen which foiled a terrorist plot. and while people like rnc chairman reince priebus suddenly emerge from hiding to call for the attorney general's head on a platter, holder, himself, said today he recused himself from the decision to seek those media records to avoid any conflict of interest. but that he did support the investigation into a dangerous leak. >> it is the top two or three most serious leaks that i've ever seen. it put the american people at risk, and that is not hyperbole. it put the american people at risk. and trying to determine who's responsible for that, i think, required very aggressive action. >> and as mr. holder prepares to be grilled by the house judiciary committee wednesday, it's worth noting this whole investigation was called for by members of congress such as senator john mccain. >> i call on the president to take immediate and decisive action, including the appointment of a special council, to aggressively investigate the leak of any classified informa
timing suggests the covert investigation was to determine who leaked details about a cia operation in yemen which foiled a terrorist plot. and while people like rnc chairman reince priebus suddenly emerge from hiding to call for the attorney general's head on a platter, holder, himself, said today he recused himself from the decision to seek those media records to avoid any conflict of interest. but that he did support the investigation into a dangerous leak. >> it is the top two or three...
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May 12, 2013
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he said basically the revisions to the e-mails are what we described as a manipulation of the cia to get the truth that you want. he referred to it saying it was clear from the get-go that terrorist activity was involved in the attacks in benghazi, those that left four americans, including the u.s. ambassador there dead. today we heard from mccain as well as senator kellie ayotte, saying they want further testimony from hillary clinton, then secretary of state. here was representative issa earlier today, explaining the priorities to his committee. >> was the response correct? could it have been better? why weren't things at least tried or revved up to be tried. afterwards, how could you change talking points 12 times from what seems to be relatively right to what seems to be completely wrong? >> what i hear being assessed is all kinds of ulterior motives. i don't believe they existed. i don't think you can question that there was ma levelens on the part of the president, on the part of the secretary of state or anyone else. it was a very unfortunate incident that turned in to be, i t
he said basically the revisions to the e-mails are what we described as a manipulation of the cia to get the truth that you want. he referred to it saying it was clear from the get-go that terrorist activity was involved in the attacks in benghazi, those that left four americans, including the u.s. ambassador there dead. today we heard from mccain as well as senator kellie ayotte, saying they want further testimony from hillary clinton, then secretary of state. here was representative issa...
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May 14, 2013
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i don't understand why the investigation isn't focused on the cia and state and security reasons. it seems clear to me the cia is somehow -- they're escaping this more than any other part. >> they are arguing and have been arguing since before the debate with mitt romney, we all watched on television, that this administration covered up an act of terrorism to get re-elected. that's their main point. did they or didn't they? >> that should be the focus. my guess is we find out that is not the case. the problem is because the administration mishandled the talking points, the message, they have allowed the republicans to take advantage of that and shift the focus to -- >> and define if a fifine it an- >> dennis mcdonough, chief of staff to president, dan pfeiffer, jennifer pamier trying to figure out how to get the one issue behind them? >> they're assuming this is going to get behind them. this is no big deal. it will blow over. >> let's move on to something. i'm convinced just studying politics people are more concerned about their own lives than something over in libya and they're
i don't understand why the investigation isn't focused on the cia and state and security reasons. it seems clear to me the cia is somehow -- they're escaping this more than any other part. >> they are arguing and have been arguing since before the debate with mitt romney, we all watched on television, that this administration covered up an act of terrorism to get re-elected. that's their main point. did they or didn't they? >> that should be the focus. my guess is we find out that...
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May 17, 2013
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you can't have lots of people around, especially if you're protecting or covering a cia facility. lots of factors here. do you think there was any way to have protected him short of him not having gone to benghazi that day? >> yes, i believe there was, and i in our report listed the shortcomings that may well have helped in that regard. this is only a guess. chris was a wonderful ambassador. chris worked for me for two years. i admired his work. he had absolutely the right concept. americans need to get out and talk to people and understand what things are happening in these countries overseas. >> yeah, i was a peace corps volunteer, too, and i think it's wonderful when these guys and women become diplomats because they don't hide in the compound and eat hamburgers and watch super bowls. they get out and meet people. you know what i mean. he wasn't a striped pants guy. i've got david corn here of "mother jones." he and i were talking, mr. ambassador. >> i have a question for you, mr. ambassador. you put out a thorough report. unclassified version. there was also a classified versi
you can't have lots of people around, especially if you're protecting or covering a cia facility. lots of factors here. do you think there was any way to have protected him short of him not having gone to benghazi that day? >> yes, i believe there was, and i in our report listed the shortcomings that may well have helped in that regard. this is only a guess. chris was a wonderful ambassador. chris worked for me for two years. i admired his work. he had absolutely the right concept....
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May 13, 2013
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on friday we learned the cia talking points went through 12 rounds of changes with the heavier than usual previously thought involvement of the state doe apartment and the white house. that it was outlined in a series of e-mails. here's what the president had to say about it all today. >> the whole issue of this, of talking points, frankly throughout this process has been a sideshow. the e-mails that you allude to were provided by us to congressional committees. suddenly three days ago, this gets spun up as if there's something new to the story. there's no there-there. and the fact that this keeps on getting churned out, frankly, has a lot to do with political motivations. we've had folks who have challenged hillary clinton's integrity, susan rice's integrity, mike mullen and tom pickering's integrity. it's a given that mine gets challenged by these same folks. they've used it for fund-raising. >> was the president right? is the issue of how the talking points were changed a political sideshow? u.s. congressman michael turner is on the oversight and government reform committee which held
on friday we learned the cia talking points went through 12 rounds of changes with the heavier than usual previously thought involvement of the state doe apartment and the white house. that it was outlined in a series of e-mails. here's what the president had to say about it all today. >> the whole issue of this, of talking points, frankly throughout this process has been a sideshow. the e-mails that you allude to were provided by us to congressional committees. suddenly three days ago,...
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May 19, 2013
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way that perhaps benghazi talking points or e-mails back and forth between the state department or cia are not as compelling or understandable for most americans. but in this case it's difficult for the white house, particularly when they're having to comply with all kinds of investigations and everything else that's going to happen with congress, we're just seeing the beginning of these hearings and it's a big deal. i will point out the "new york times" has a great piece today looking at there were actually some liberal groups lumped in among these 400 groups, the vast majority of them were conservative. but there are about two dozen liberal organizations that got extra scrutiny. >> i wanted to ask you with our next topic, as a journalist your perspective on the controversy around the associated press, here's what came out on politico: "conflicting information is emerging over the process the justice department used to approve the subpoenas for associated press telephone record." >> it's difficult for me to take a view here. i'm a journalist, i've had many sources i protect and i woul
way that perhaps benghazi talking points or e-mails back and forth between the state department or cia are not as compelling or understandable for most americans. but in this case it's difficult for the white house, particularly when they're having to comply with all kinds of investigations and everything else that's going to happen with congress, we're just seeing the beginning of these hearings and it's a big deal. i will point out the "new york times" has a great piece today...
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May 14, 2013
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and i think what you have here is we're seeing sort of a bureaucratic knife fight between the cia and defense department to cover each other's backs essentially. but the president well knows that this is political and i think boehner does smell blood quite frankly for 2014 because he thinks he can gin up the base around this issue going into that election. >> the so-called talking points issue of the memo about what it was really about, i for one thought talking points were ridiculous when i heard them. i never believed the movie was the provocation for this. i never allowed it, never said the movie did this on the show. for the first several days, everybody on all of the shows, fox shows were saying it is the movie, it is the movie. the movie thing never made sense to me. you can talk about the talking points, and that does become just okay, these are the people that put it together, why did they put it together. that doesn't seem to be worthy of this much investigation but fine, let them have it. the other day, last week, it was okay, what happened that night and what you discover h
and i think what you have here is we're seeing sort of a bureaucratic knife fight between the cia and defense department to cover each other's backs essentially. but the president well knows that this is political and i think boehner does smell blood quite frankly for 2014 because he thinks he can gin up the base around this issue going into that election. >> the so-called talking points issue of the memo about what it was really about, i for one thought talking points were ridiculous...
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May 16, 2013
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what happened in terms of the subpoena, that there was a pretty good security breach in terms of a cia operation in yemen and the lawyers do it as opposed to political people which probably he shouldn't have done in the first place. but at any rate, that's what happened. culture of intimidation has nothing to do with what happened in the ap thing. it was a lawyer with an overly broad subpoena that was given power bay political appointee. but i have no idea what senator rubio actually is talking about. >> james, it looks like it was an interagency issue with the talking back and forth with bengha benghazi. certainly the temperature has been taken down on benghazi when it was hot earlier. do you think this is really more of an attempt to scam, as you pointed out, to smear hillary clint clinton? >> yeah, of course it was. but the whole thing is out of gas. remember from eighth grade science, energy just just disappear, it has to go somewhere else. as all of na dissipates, it has to go somewhere and now it's fixated on the cincinnati office of the irs. these guys are awfully frustrated rig
what happened in terms of the subpoena, that there was a pretty good security breach in terms of a cia operation in yemen and the lawyers do it as opposed to political people which probably he shouldn't have done in the first place. but at any rate, that's what happened. culture of intimidation has nothing to do with what happened in the ap thing. it was a lawyer with an overly broad subpoena that was given power bay political appointee. but i have no idea what senator rubio actually is talking...